Human rights situation in the OPT – Summary record (excerpts)

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

SUB-COMMISSION ON THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Fifty-fourth session

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 24th MEETING

Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva,

on Thursday, 15 August 2002, at 3 p.m.

Chairperson: Mr. YOKOTA

(Vice-Chairperson)

later: Mr. PINHEIRO

(Chairperson)

CONTENTS

SPECIFIC HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES

 (a)   WOMEN AND HUMAN RIGHTS

  (b)  CONTEMPORARY FORMS OF SLAVERY

 (c)   NEW PRIORITIES, IN PARTICULAR, TERRORISM

The meeting was called to order at 3.15 p.m.

(agenda item 6) (continued ) (E/CN.4/Sub.2/2002/2, 27-29, 32-36, 38 and 39, 43 and 44; E/CN.4/Sub.2/2002/NGO/1, 2, 18, 23-25 and 27)

/…

4. Mr. SHARFELDDIN (International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination) said that it was a basic and essential human right to defend one’s home, land and property by all means available. The Palestinians, whose land and homes had been occupied and whose survival had been threatened by invading people, had no possibility to defend themselves, apart from throwing stones. Israel was invading the territory of the Palestinian Authority, demolishing homes, enforcing curfews and committing atrocities in the name of security. In the absence of an international definition of terrorism distinguishing it from resistance as a legitimate right to defend oneself, every country gave itself the right to define terrorism as it saw fit. The definition of terrorism as opposed to legitimate self-defence had therefore become a concern of supreme urgency, and he called upon the Sub-Commission to issue a resolution on the matter.

/…

12. Mr. SOZEK (International Educational Development) …

13. He congratulated the Special Rapporteur on terrorism and human rights for the keen academic approach evident in her second progress report (E/CN.4/Sub.2/2002/35) in a year when even some of the staunchest supporters of human rights had urged that those rights should be suspended as part of the so-called “war” against terrorism. The only way to eliminate terrorism was the full realization of human rights, including the right to self-determination of the people of Kashmir and the Palestinian people, whose right to use force, where necessary, to achieve self-determination was not affected by acts of terrorism. …

/…

43. Mr. KHOURI (Union of Arab Jurists) …

/…

44. A State that was prepared to violate international law in order to terrorize the citizens of another State would have no hesitation about doing so against its own people. Thus, despite the fact that senior officers of the United States army had known of the likely effects of weapons containing depleted uranium, they had nevertheless exposed at least 60,000 of their own troops to what had become known as Gulf war syndrome. State terrorism by countries possessing weapons of mass destruction was a threat to international peace and security, as demonstrated by the violence carried out against the Palestinian and Iraqi peoples.

/…

The meeting rose at 6.00 p.m.